Organizing Paper 3Organizing Paper 3

Agreeing, Disagreeing, or Agreeing, Disagreeing, or Doing Somewhat of Both Doing Somewhat of Both

with one article.with one article.

My text is “A’s for My text is “A’s for Everyone.”Everyone.”

I want to write about “A’s for Everyone” I want to write about “A’s for Everyone” because after rereading the article, I because after rereading the article, I notice that the students now have the notice that the students now have the upper-hand.upper-hand.

For example, Shepard is constantly For example, Shepard is constantly responding to students’ demands.responding to students’ demands.

With the words Shepard chooses, the With the words Shepard chooses, the article almost sounds as if college has article almost sounds as if college has become a place where teachers are become a place where teachers are bullied.bullied.

Looking at the researchLooking at the research "Why was I given a B as my final grade?" "Why was I given a B as my final grade?" demanded a demanded a

reporting studentreporting student via e-mail. " via e-mail. "Please respond Please respond ASAP,ASAP, as I have never received a B during my career” as I have never received a B during my career” (417).(417).

““She tracked me downShe tracked me down by phone while I was still in by phone while I was still in my office. […] my office. […] She harangued meShe harangued me until, I'm ashamed until, I'm ashamed to admit, I agreed to change her grade to an A-minus” to admit, I agreed to change her grade to an A-minus” (417).(417).

““The students were relentlessThe students were relentless. During the spring . During the spring semester, they showed up at my office semester, they showed up at my office to insist I to insist I reread their papers and boost their gradesreread their papers and boost their grades. They . They asked to retake testsasked to retake tests they hadn't done well on they hadn't done well on. They . They bombarded mebombarded me with e-mails questioning grades. with e-mails questioning grades. More harassed meMore harassed me to change their final grade” (418). to change their final grade” (418).

Hmmmm….seems like Hmmmm….seems like students have the upper-hand.students have the upper-hand.

Now I am going to shape my argument.Now I am going to shape my argument.

_______’s theory of ________ is extremely _______’s theory of ________ is extremely useful because it sheds insight on the useful because it sheds insight on the difficult problem of ___________. difficult problem of ___________.

This kind of works, but needs some This kind of works, but needs some tweaking to fit my observation: that tweaking to fit my observation: that students seem to be in charge. students seem to be in charge.

Thesis after tweakingThesis after tweaking

_______’s _______’s theorytheory of ________ is of ________ is extremely usefulextremely useful because it because it sheds sheds insight on the difficult problem of insight on the difficult problem of ___________.___________.

Shepard’s Shepard’s description of student description of student behaviorbehavior is is insightful insightful because it because it reveals a shift in the student-teacher reveals a shift in the student-teacher relationship. relationship.

Agreeing and Going BeyondAgreeing and Going Beyond

Shepard’s Shepard’s description of student description of student behaviorbehavior is is insightful insightful because it because it reveals a shift in the student-teacher reveals a shift in the student-teacher relationship. relationship.

With this thesis, I am not setting With this thesis, I am not setting myself up to summarize what Shepard myself up to summarize what Shepard has already said. has already said.

I can add my “thumbprint” by arguing I can add my “thumbprint” by arguing the shift of power in college. the shift of power in college.

Organizing the draftOrganizing the draft

Now that I know I will look at the student Now that I know I will look at the student teacher relationship, I need to make sure teacher relationship, I need to make sure I have enough points to make to support I have enough points to make to support my thesis.my thesis.

Examine the changing role of the studentExamine the changing role of the student Examine the changing role of the teacherExamine the changing role of the teacher Examine why the shift happenedExamine why the shift happened Examine whether this is a good thing or a Examine whether this is a good thing or a

bad thingbad thing

Can my thesis be supported Can my thesis be supported with the text and personal with the text and personal

observation?observation?

The changing role of the student seen in The changing role of the student seen in the text:" Thethe text:" The students were relentless students were relentless. . During the spring semester, they showed During the spring semester, they showed up at my office up at my office to insist I reread their to insist I reread their papers and boost their gradespapers and boost their grades. They . They asked to retake testsasked to retake tests they hadn't done they hadn't done well onwell on. They bombarded me. They bombarded me with e- with e-mails questioning grades. mails questioning grades. More harassed More harassed meme to change their final grade” (418). to change their final grade” (418).

Changing role of the student Changing role of the student from personal experiencefrom personal experience

I could tell the story of spending the I could tell the story of spending the last week of finals with a student last week of finals with a student showing me numerous drafts while I showing me numerous drafts while I am trying to check papers for the am trying to check papers for the students who fill my inbox with students who fill my inbox with demands for their final grades 2 days demands for their final grades 2 days after the last papers were turned in. after the last papers were turned in.

Moving on to the draftMoving on to the draft

After making sure that I have textual After making sure that I have textual and personal support, I can now begin and personal support, I can now begin drafting the paper.drafting the paper.

For the intro, do I have a story that For the intro, do I have a story that illustrates the topic that will be illustrates the topic that will be examined in the paper: the shifting examined in the paper: the shifting relationship between students and relationship between students and teachers?teachers?

Yes, I do!Yes, I do!

Writing the IntroductionWriting the Introduction

I will use a personal story, one that I will use a personal story, one that includes a student emailing me over includes a student emailing me over Christmas break, asking me to raise her Christmas break, asking me to raise her grade so she could keep her scholarship.grade so she could keep her scholarship.

This compares to a teacher’s account in This compares to a teacher’s account in Shepard’s article.Shepard’s article.

Then I will briefly summarize grade Then I will briefly summarize grade inflation and the behaviors of students and inflation and the behaviors of students and teachers. This gets me to the focus of my teachers. This gets me to the focus of my paper. paper.

Shape of supporting Shape of supporting paragraphparagraph

T.S.-_Instead of teachers being in charge T.S.-_Instead of teachers being in charge of grading, some students now of grading, some students now aggressively argue for grades, which aggressively argue for grades, which illustrates the shift of power on college illustrates the shift of power on college campuses.campuses.

Use 3EX to show examples and analysis Use 3EX to show examples and analysis from text and personal experience.from text and personal experience.

My examples should show students acting My examples should show students acting aggressively and then analyze these aggressively and then analyze these examples to show new power structure. examples to show new power structure.

Conclusion: The “why does this Conclusion: The “why does this matter?”matter?”

The paper illustrates the shift of power.The paper illustrates the shift of power. So I ask myself, if this is true, so what, So I ask myself, if this is true, so what,

who cares, and why should this matter?who cares, and why should this matter? By relinquishing power, professors show By relinquishing power, professors show

students that aggression is acceptable students that aggression is acceptable behavior.behavior.

This could be connected to incivility, This could be connected to incivility, which is often remarked on in news.which is often remarked on in news.